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Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

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 #717372  by Sand Box John
 
From Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail 03 09 2010.

No February progress update Newsletter

Image
The outbound tunnel that will carry rail between Route 123 and Route 7 in Tysons Corner is currently 420-feet long and passes completely under International Drive. Photo by Rich Silva, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

A Year of Dulles Rail Construction Progress

Stations, Guideways, Tunnels Under Construction for Phase 1

It's been a year of progress for Dulles Rail. Since the Federal Transit Administration's approval of $900 million in "new starts" funds to complete the financial package for construction of Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project in March 2009, construction has started all along the 11-mile alignment from East Falls Church to Reston.

More than 95 percent of the construction of manholes and duct banks necessary for relocating the 21 utilities in the Route 7 alignment area have been completed. Some overhead power lines have been permanently removed and utility crews are now working in those manholes underground to connect the new lines.

In spite of the record winter storms:

· Construction of the Wiehle Avenue Station on the eastern edge of Reston is underway.
· Crews this month will begin work on the Tysons East Station, the first of four stations that will serve Tysons Corner.
· Many of the piers are now in place for the guideway that will carry the trains from the existing Orange Line to the middle of the Dulles Connector Road and from the Dulles Connector Road to to the northwest side of Route 123 near Capital One.
· Preparations for guideway work are starting at Route 7 and the Dulles Toll Road.
· And, the mining of the two tunnels that will carry trains from Route 7 to Route 123 are proceeding on schedule. The outbound tunnel now extends completely below International Drive and mining is about 150 feet into the inbound tunnel.

Fun Facts:

· More than 1,100 are now working on Dulles Rail.
· 214 caissons, underground supports for the aerial structures, have been built.
· More than 207 concrete sections of the aerial guideway that will support the rail track have been built at a staging area at Dulles Airport.
· Bridges are under construction to carry the rail tracks over Pimmit Run, the WO&D Trail in Reston, and Magarity Road.

Image
Pier guideway construction underway at the I-66 and Dulles Connector Road (Route 267) interchange. Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
(I took some pictures from this location on my last visit to the area)


Big Changes Coming to Route 7

Heavy snow delayed plans for major changes to Route 7 in Tysons Corner until April. Here is what to expect:

· Elimination of all mid-block left turns.
· Shifting of traffic lanes on eastbound Route 7 between Route 123 and Gosnell Road to make room for construction of the Tysons Central 7 Station.
· Continuing construction of retaining walls along some sections of eastbound Route 7 where crews are elevating the existing service roads to the same grade as Route 7. This is taking place near Pike 7 Plaza and Best Buy.

Image
Construction of retaining walls on Route 7, necessary to build up the service roads to the same grade as Route 7 for lane shifting. Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Old Chain Bridge Road Closing for 4 Weeks

Construction of the metrorail project will cause the closing of Old Chain Bridge Road between Great Falls Street and Anderson Road in the McLean area in April for approximately four weeks, pending development of detailed plans.

A large truss will be assembled at the Dulles Connector Road bridge over Old Chain Bridge Road. This is a very large, rigid structure that will be used to build the elevated track. It will start at the abutment and piers that are under construction where the Dulles Connector Road runs over Old Chain Bridge Road.

Residents who live along Old Chain Bridge Road will continue to have access to their houses but through traffic will be shut down. Detours will be set up to handle through traffic.

Old Chain Bridge Road is a popular shortcut for those seeking to bypass the busy Route 123/Great Falls Street/Lewinsville Road intersection traveling to and from McLean's business district and Great Falls Street, Westmoreland and Old Dominion Drive and eventually back to Route 123 near Salona Village.

Details will be announced as soon as they are available.

Image
Truss assembly taking place at Dulles Airport. Soon, trusses will be all along the corridor as the guideways go up to support construction. Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Tysons East Station Construction Begins

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Pier construction at the Dulles Connector Road and Route 123 interchange leading up to the future Tysons East Station. Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Construction of the Tysons East Metrorail Station, the first station to be built in Tysons Corner, has started, bringing with it traffic pattern changes and detours for residents, workers, shoppers and those who use Route 123 near the Dulles Connector Road bridge.

· The right lane of southbound Route 123 from Scotts Crossing Road to the entrance ramp to northbound I -495 is closed for two years, but the ramp remains open.
· The entrance ramp for southbound Route 123 from the McLean area to the eastbound Dulles Connector Road and I-66 is closed for three months for erection of piers that will support the guideway for the rail tracks from the Dulles Connector Road to the northwest side of Route 123 and the Tysons East Station.
· Scotts Crossing Road will be narrowed.
· Caisson testing, which sounds like a small explosion, continues.

Two-Month Detour Along Tysons Boulevard

The two left turn lanes from northbound Route 123 to westbound Tysons Boulevard will be closed for approximately two months starting in mid-March as work begins on the Tysons Central 123 Station.

Traffic will be detoured to International and Galleria Drives. Southbound Route 123 traffic will continue to make right turns to Tysons Boulevard.

Pedestrian Bridge Begins at Wiehle Station Site

Travelers on the Dulles international Airport Access Highway will continue to see narrowed lanes between Wiehle Avenue and Reston Parkway because of Wiehle Avenue Metrorail Station construction.

Some lanes will closed on the Dulles Toll Road where foundations will be built for piers that will support pedestrian bridges connecting the station to both sides of the Airport Highway/Toll Road.

###

March 2010 Newsletter (289 KB PDF file) Text and pictures same as above
Last edited by Sand Box John on Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
 #717390  by Sand Box John
 
Beat me to posting the picture from the newsletter. Full text of newsletter in my post above.

FYI: Right click image, by changing the number in the image file name downward one can see older progress photos.

There also is a collection of progress photos at dullestransitpartners.com

"JackRussell"
I can toss out a few of my own comments on what I have observed. Starting at the point where I-66 meets the toll road extension, the vertical pillars are taking shape nicely. It appears as if there are going to be two sets of supports - one for each track (and not one set of supports that holds both tracks).


The separate elevateds for each track is for three reasons. The radius of the outbound track N2 is sharper because it only cross over the westbound lanes of VA I-66. The inbound track N2 also has to cross over the existing K Route orange line tracks. The lead track from the from the Falls Church Yard passes under inbound track N2 and will connect to the main line from between.

See: maps.google.com Phase I N Route Silver Line (VA I-66 fly over and Falls Church Yard Lead)

Along the toll road and toll road extension they have been doing lots of preparation. Trees and excess soil have been removed, jersey barriers are up. In Tysons proper, work continues - along Rt 7, it appears as if they are clearing the areas where the future stations will be built. Utility work is still continuing on the north side of Rt 7 - they have not yet moved any utility lines underground.

Along the toll road, they are starting to talk about building numerous bridges, but I am not yet aware of any construction activity.

I haven't been down Rt 123 in a while, so I don't have anything to add about that part of the project. The work at the Rt 7 end of the tunnel that was previously noted seems to have stalled for a bit - I haven't seen much change there in recent weeks.

If there is anything in particular that anyone would like me to try and photograph, let me know and I can give it a shot. I am not keen on trespassing, so it would need to be something one could see from a public road or sidewalk.


I Have a Picasa Web Photo Gallery of the Dullas Corridor Metrorail Project. Expect to add to at least twice before the end of the year.
 #727824  by JackRussell
 
There was a story in the Metro section of the Washington post this morning describing the progress on the tunnel.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... d=newswell

There are good pictures in the physical paper, and a diagram explaining how NATM is done, but I am not finding them online.

They say that they have finished 18 feet of the tunnel. Not even 1% of the way. :(
 #727870  by Sand Box John
 
"JackRussell"
There was a story in the Metro section of the Washington post this morning describing the progress on the tunnel.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... d=newswell

There are good pictures in the physical paper, and a diagram explaining how NATM is done, but I am not finding them online.

They say that they have finished 18 feet of the tunnel. Not even 1% of the way.


Five photo:

Tunnel Construction: Digging a Hole in Tyson's...
(washingtonpost.com)
Image
...Construction begins at Route 123 and International Drive in Tyson's Corner as workers use special tunneling methods to build the...

Haven't found the graphics explaining NATM. here a paper written on the subject:

An insight into the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) (453 KB PDF file)
M. Karakus & R.J. Fowell
 #734967  by Sand Box John
 
From Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail newsletter 11 04 2009
There was no October progress update e-mail newsletter.

Image

Construction of the 2,400-foot tunnel begins.(Outbound track N2) The tunnel will connect Route 123 to Route 7 in Tysons Corner.
Photo by Andrew Stone, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
.

Tunnel Construction Begins

Beneath a busy interchange on top of the highest point in Tysons Corner, crews are mining a tunnel that will carry the Dulles Corridor Metrorail tracks from Route 123 to Route 7.

Working two 12-hour shifts per day, crews began tunnel construction, using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) to mine the first of two tunnels, the outbound segment. Construction will start on the inbound tunnel in the coming months.

The tunnels when completed will be 2,400-feet long. Construction is not visible to drivers because it is behind a crew fence along Route 123 near International Drive.

During construction, crews are using sensor technology to monitor the tunnel and nearby roads for any movements. Soil in the tunnel area is a combination of gravel, clay and sand.

Lane Shifts, Traffic Pattern Changes in Store for Route 7
Businesses and residents of the Tysons area have been told to expect major traffic pattern changes all along the 1-mile rail construction zone of Route 7 from the Dulles Toll Road east to Route 123 in the coming weeks. For example:
  • The service roads along the edges of the east and westbound lanes of Route 7 will be closed so that the edges of Route 7 itself can be pushed out to the edges of the service roads and beyond to make room for construction of the rail line and stations in the median of the road bed.
  • Near the two stations to be built along Route 7-Tysons Central 7 (near SAIC and Marshalls) and Tysons West (between Spring Hill and Tyco Roads), the eastbound lanes will balloon out into the parking areas of some businesses.
  • Also, along the eastbound lanes, crews will be building retention walls to support the new road bed as crews must build up many existing service roads to the levels of Route 7.
  • Mid-block left turns will be eliminated. Drivers will be encouraged to make U-turns at the existing signalized intersections: Westwood/Tyco, Spring Hill and Gosnell/Westpark.
  • A major lane shift has already taken place on Route 7, beginning at the Route 123 overpass.
  • The traffic signal at Route 7 from the Route 123 exit to Winchester and Reston has been removed.
  • The ramp from Route 7 to southbound Route 123 has been relocated.
Image

Overlooking the Route 7 construction and ramp shift from the Route 123 overpass. (Area to left is where bored tunnels will transition to cut and cover.)
Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.


Station Construction in Tysons, Reston
Preliminary construction work is beginning near all five station sites: four in Tysons and one at Wiehle Avenue in Reston. Work is most visible near the Wiehle Avenue Station in the middle of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway between Wiehle Avenue and Reston Parkway and at the Tysons East Station at Route 123 and Scotts Crossing Road near Capital One.

Image

Wiehle Avenue Station construction in the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway.
Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

Along the Dulles Connector Road & I-66
Along the Dulles Connector Road, near I-66, piers and caissons are sprouting up to support a flyover for the rail line from the Orange line to the Connector Road. Pile driving to support new bridges at Idylwood and Magarity Roads and Pimmit Run continue.

Rail construction trucks are using I-66 inside the Capital Beltway during restricted day and night hours. Up to 74 trucks per day will be allowed to the Lee Highway/Washington Boulevard exit to turn around and go westbound on I-66. For details, visit a www.dullesmetro.com.

Image

Piers are being put in place at the intersection of the Dulles Connector Road (Route 267) and I-66.
Photo by Howard Menaker, Dulles Transit Partners.

###

The above photo was taken in the same area as this photo I took on 08 02 2009.

Image

Dulles Connector Road just north of VA I-66

Newsletter in PDF format with maps. (1.05 MB PDF File)
 #734984  by JackRussell
 
Sand Box John wrote:From Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail newsletter 11 04 2009
There was no October progress update e-mail newsletter.
Along the toll road out from Tysons, they are working on the section from Hunter Mill to the Wiehle station. I see them working with concrete pipes (storm drains) and large plastic pipes that would typically be used for electrical conduit. There is very little construction activity from Hunter Mill to Rt 7, but this section is flat and straight and my guess is that they need to get the underground stuff set up for the areas around the stations first.

Along Rt 7, they are still working, but it is hard to tell exactly what they are doing at any given time. They have not yet begun to remove any of the overhead wires, which will need to happen before they will be able to shift any lanes. I have seen them pouring concrete for new curbs at various places along the way, and the digging that I have seen is generally further back from Rt 7. Based upon the materials and vehicles that I see around there, I am guessing that they are working on storm drains and burying conduit that are needed for street lights and traffic signals.

They will soon take away a part of the frontage road:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/art ... 73&cat=104
Image
From Koon’s Chevrolet past Pike 7 Plaza, Route 7 is about to expand to make room for construction of rail down its median, Menaker said. Along the eastbound side, retaining walls will be used to raise areas now occupied by service roads to street level. "This work will begin very shortly, probably in the next few weeks," Menaker said, noting that the lanes would then be shifted late this year.
This is the area near where they will transition from NATM to cut-and-cover as the line comes out from underground. I guess it makes sense that they might need the room there sooner rather than later so they can start on the cut-and-cover and the "Tysons Central 7" station.
 #735204  by Sand Box John
 
"JackRussell"

Along the toll road out from Tysons, they are working on the section from Hunter Mill to the Wiehle station. I see them working with concrete pipes (storm drains) and large plastic pipes that would typically be used for electrical conduit. There is very little construction activity from Hunter Mill to Rt 7, but this section is flat and straight and my guess is that they need to get the underground stuff set up for the areas around the stations first.


Work in the areas of the stations involves a hell of a lot more stuff then between the stations. The thing that I didn't like, when the final plans were drawn up, was the deletion of the provision for a future station west of Trap Road.

Along Rt 7, they are still working, but it is hard to tell exactly what they are doing at any given time. They have not yet begun to remove any of the overhead wires, which will need to happen before they will be able to shift any lanes. I have seen them pouring concrete for new curbs at various places along the way, and the digging that I have seen is generally further back from Rt 7. Based upon the materials and vehicles that I see around there, I am guessing that they are working on storm drains and burying conduit that are needed for street lights and traffic signals.

The overhead wires won't come down until all of the underground stuff is in place and connected.

This is the area near where they will transition from NATM to cut-and-cover as the line comes out from underground. I guess it makes sense that they might need the room there sooner rather than later so they can start on the cut-and-cover and the "Tysons Central 7" station.

The cut and cover between the end of the bored tunnels and east end of the Tyson Central 7 (Pike 7 Plaza) station will likely go pretty quickly. More then likely the excavation will be decked over to reduce the number of lane shifts.
 #735715  by Robert Paniagua
 
I wish they were doing this up on Mass Route 2 from Alewife to Bedford in north of Boston, in fact, when I make my own fantasy Northwest MBTA Red Line Extension, I'll create my own map of Rte 2 from Alewife to 128 and the to Bedofrd for my fantasy Red Line Extension

Back On topic, they are seemingly moving along with this extension for the Silver Line, nice shots of the tunnel bores like the ones used for the Blue Line Addison Road Extension
 #735786  by Sand Box John
 
"Robert Paniagua"

Back On topic, they are seemingly moving along with this extension for the Silver Line, nice shots of the tunnel bores like the ones used for the Blue Line Addison Road Extension


All of the tunnels on the G Route Blue line extension from Addison Road to Largo are cut and cover. Roughly a 1/4 of the length of tunnel box between Morgan Boulevard and the Capitol Beltway is partly or above grade. The original plan was to have the entire length alignment that presently runs through tunnels built in a retained cut.

Image
Looking west from track G1 emergence exit hatch.

Image
Looking east from 300' east of the emergence exit hatches.
 #736775  by JackRussell
 
The past few days, I have been noticing stacks of metal panels - from a distance these look like forms that one would use when pouring concrete, and I was seeing these between Wiehle Ave and Hunter Mill. It is hard for me to estimate the size as I am driving by, but they aren't small - maybe the size of a 4x8 sheet of plywood? That's really a guess...

My suspicions were confirmed last night on the way home from work - I saw a cement truck on site. I can't tell what they were pouring exactly - they must have already poured footers, and it seems logical that they are working on a foundation of some sort. The Wiehle station is the other side of Wiehle, so this isn't likely to be a part of the station proper.
 #747105  by Sand Box John
 
From Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project progress update e-mail newsletter 12 07 2009

Image

Construction of the future Wiehle Avenue Station, in the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway.
Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Lane Shifts, Closings Continue During Holiday Season

Rail Construction Rolling Along From East Falls Church to Reston
Holiday shoppers in Tysons Corner face traffic pattern changes, particularly along Route 7, and are cautioned to watch for signs signaling those changes. Mid-block left turns are beginning to disappear. Left turns into the Marshalls shopping center have been eliminated.

Motorists should also watch for night work along roads leading to Route 7 and ramp closings at the Route 7 and Dulles Toll Road (Route 267)interchange. Near Pike 7 Plaza, on the south side of Route 7, crews are building retaining walls.

Increased day and night construction work will also force lane closings and shifts along the Dulles Connector Road (Route 267) and I-66.

Travelers using the Dulles International Airport Access Highway may experience slowdowns east bound between Reston Parkway and Wiehle Avenue.

For detailed traffic alerts and advisories, visit www.dullesmetro.com

Free Midday Shuttle Begins in Tysons
Those who work or live in the core of Tysons Corner can now go to a favorite eatery, run errands or shop in the middle of the day without getting into their cars or spending any money.

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is funding the new Tysons Connector shuttle bus service that will provide free rides to and from office buildings, condos and apartments, Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria.

The service is operated by the Fairfax Connector bus system, using easily recognizable buses wrapped in orange, blue and white. The services will have two routes serving different areas.

Tysons Connector 1 serves the Tysons-West*Park Transit Station on Jones Branch Drive, Spring Hill Road, Tysons Corner Center and Greensboro and International Drives.

Tysons Connector 2 serves the Tysons-West*Park Transit Station, Tysons Boulevard, Tysons Galleria, Tysons Corner Center, Park Run Drive (Harris Teeter), International and Jones Branch Drives.

The service is being provided to ease congestion during lunchtime, the "third rush hour" of every working day in Tysons Corner.

Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays.

For information, visit www.fairfaxconnector.com or call 703-339-7200.

Tysons Connector shuttle bus map

VDOT Installs Displays at Tysons Corner Center
Image
Photo by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Shoppers at Tysons Corner Center can check out how traffic is moving before leaving the mall thanks to real-time travel information now displayed on screens near mall exits. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) installed the screens to arm travelers with the latest traffic and transit information while construction is under way on the Beltway HOT (high occupancy toll) Lanes and rail to Dulles.

Five 50-inch plasma television screens are now strategically placed throughout the shopping center. Information regarding bus routes and schedules is included in the revolving messages.

###

Newsletter in PDF format with maps. (610 KB PDF File)
 #747344  by JackRussell
 
My sense is that they kind of phoned it in with the most recent newsletter. Fortunately there is another source of information. Twice a year, the Dulles Corridor Advisory Committee meets, and the purpose of the meeting is to give a status report. The most recent meeting was Dec 10th, and the announcement was here:

http://www.mwaa.com/tollroad/about_dule ... _2009_1210
http://www.mwaa.com/_/file/_/pr2009_12_04.pdf

I didn't actually attend - I suppose I could of - I believe the meetings are public. But I had real work to do and couldn't really justify going. The presentations are downloadable however, and there are lots of other really nice pictures. Some of the pictures are clearly weeks old however (note leaves still on the trees).

http://www.mwaa.com/_/file/_/dcac_04dcmp.pdf

There was a 2nd presentation that had to do more with the financing:

http://www.mwaa.com/_/file/_/dcac_04corridor.pdf

There are discussions about both phase 1 and phase 2 of the Metro expansion to Dulles. The claim in the presentation is that the utility relocation is now 68% complete, and they are projecting that phase 1 will be operating in December 2013. I thought it used to be July :-(. Phase 2 is in preliminary engineering - there won't be anything to see there for a while.

Other random observations:
  • I have seen numbers of Virginia Power trucks along Rt 7 near the Best Buy. There is no longer any digging on the service road out where we are (not to say they won't dig some more later though).
  • I am seeing a concrete wall being built near Wiehle - this seems similar to the wall along the median of I66 near the Vienna Metro station, but this wall is shorter (perhaps 4 feet). Currently it is about 150 feet long, and I believe there is only 1 wall so far.
  • The cut and cover tunnel seems to be slowing inching forward. I suspect that at some point when they have enough of it complete, they will shift traffic again and have one lane go over the completed part of the tunnel. This would give them access and room to extend the tunnel further into the median strip.
  • The retaining wall along Rt 7 near that shopping center is partway built - once complete, it will enable them to shift the traffic away from the median strip to make room for the station.
  • There is a developer who has a fancy project near the Tysons West station: http://www.tysonswest.com/animation.html. But there is no construction activity there yet.
Other than that, not much that I can see going on. As someone who sees the construction on a daily basis, it is like watching paint dry :-).
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